Negative resist pattern forming method, developer and negative chemical-amplification resist composition used therefor, and resist pattern

Abstract

A resist pattern forming method including in the following order, (1) a step of forming a film by using a negative chemical-amplification resist composition capable of undergoing negative conversion by a crosslinking reaction, (2) a step of exposing the film, and (4) a step of developing the exposed film by using a developer containing an organic solvent; a developer and a negative chemical-amplification resist composition used therefor; and a resist pattern formed by the pattern forming method.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A resist pattern forming method comprising, in the following order:
 (1) a step of forming a film by using a negative chemical-amplification resist composition capable of undergoing negative conversion by a crosslinking reaction; 
 (2) a step of exposing the film; and 
 (4) a step of developing the exposed film by using a developer containing an organic solvent, 
 wherein: 
 the negative chemical-amplification resist composition comprises: 
 (A) a resin; 
 (B) a crosslinking agent capable of crosslinking the resin (A) by the action of an acid; and 
 (C) a compound capable of generating an acid upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation; 
 the resin (A) is a resin containing a repeating unit represented by formula (1): 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         A represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, a halogen atom or a cyano group, 
         R represents a halogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group, an alkenyl group, an aralkyl group, an alkoxy group, an alkylcarbonyloxy group or an alkylsulfonyloxy group, and when a plurality of R′s are present, each R may be the same as or different from every other R and they may combine with each other to form a ring, 
         a represents an integer of 1 to 3, and 
         b represents an integer of 0 to (3-a); and 
         the crosslinking agent (B) is a phenol compound having two or more benzene rings in the molecule. 
       
     
     
       2. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the organic solvent contained in the developer is one or more kinds of solvents selected from the group consisting of an ester-based solvent, a ketone-based solvent, an alcohol-based solvent, an amide-based solvent, an ether-based solvent and a hydrocarbon-based solvent. 
 
     
     
       3. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the organic solvent contained in the developer is one or more kinds of solvents selected from the group consisting of an alkylene glycol monoalkyl ether carboxylate-based solvent, an alkylene glycol monoalkyl ether-based solvent, an alkyl carboxylate-based solvent and an alkyl ketone-based solvent. 
 
     
     
       4. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the organic solvent contained in the developer is one or more kinds of solvents selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol monomethyl ether, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate, methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl amyl ketone, cyclopentanone, cyclohexanone, ethyl lactate and butyl acetate. 
 
     
     
       5. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the organic solvent contained in the developer is one or more kinds of solvents selected from the group consisting of an ester-based solvent containing no hydroxyl group in the molecule, a ketone-based solvent containing no hydroxyl group in the molecule, and an ether-based solvent containing no hydroxyl group in the molecule. 
 
     
     
       6. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: (5) a step of performing a rinsing treatment by using a rinsing solution containing an organic solvent after the developing step (4). 
     
     
       7. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein
 the organic solvent contained in the rinsing solution is one or more kinds of solvents selected from the group consisting of a monohydric alcohol-based solvent and a hydrocarbon-based solvent. 
 
     
     
       8. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising: (3) a baking step between the exposing step (2) and the developing step (4). 
     
     
       9. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the exposure in (2) the exposing step is performed by an electron beam or EUV light. 
 
     
     
       10. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 1 , which is used for fabrication of a semiconductor microcircuit. 
     
     
       11. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the percentage of water content in the developer is 10 mass % or less. 
 
     
     
       12. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the content of the cros slinking agent (B) in the negative chemical-amplification resist composition is from 3 to 65 mass % based on the entire solid content of the resist composition. 
 
     
     
       13. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the compound (C) is a compound capable of generating at least any one acid of a sulfonic acid, a bis(alkylsulfonyl)imide and a tris(alkylsulfonyl)methide upon irradiation with an actinic ray or radiation. 
 
     
     
       14. A resist pattern formed by the resist pattern forming method claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       15. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the organic solvent contained in the developer is any of methyl isobutyl ketone, methyl amyl ketone and cyclohexanone. 
     
     
       16. The resist pattern forming method as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the organic solvent contained in the developer is methyl amyl ketone.